Brilliant, full of imagination, events take place in the National Opera House in Athens occupied, or rather liberated by the artists from January the 30th. The general assembly discuss everyday and decide a program of political and artistic actions: performances, group improvisations, plays, concerts of classical, modern, contemporary, jazz and rock music, martial arts courses(as the danger of a riot police invasion is always present), film showing, debates and political meetings, dances in the street.
The evening of February 3, Savas Michael was invited to speak on “Philosophy, Art, and Revolution”. The Opera House was packed by 400-500 people; the whole atmosphere reminded May 68 in occupied Odeon Theater in Paris or in Vincennes University. It was not a formal lecture. It started with a performance. An artist was as a cleaner on the stage, saying a few words on Konstandina Kuneva, the Bulgarian immigrant worker attacked viciously with vitriol, and singing the Jacobin Rigas anthem for a Balkan Federation, composed in the 18th century but now sung by the performer on the tune of the International. Then, he shouted to the invited speaker: “Savas, when is the right moment for us?” I answered “NOW” and started singing the International first in Greek and then in French, soon to be joined by a French artist in the audience. The performer moved from the stage to the hall, passing by the central corridor and asking in the ear the people who were sitting in the seats by the corridor: “What is to be done for Kostandina?” Finally, he went out of the hall singing the anthem for a Balkan Federation, again on the tune of the International. It was the moment for me to start my talk.
It was structured around four lines, three verses from three poets- Artaud, Hölderlin, Lautréamont- and one statement by the French Jacobin revolutionary Saint Just summarizing Revolution in permanence. The entire talk was dedicated to bring forward the dynamic of our revolt, the roads of December. In this context, focusing on understanding the new, Marx’s and Trotsky’s views were counter-posed to Stalinism and the talk ended with the famous slogans of the Manifesto of FIARI written by Trotsky and André Breton: “We want –The independence of Art for the Revolution, the Revolution for the final liberation of Art”.
The enthusiasm of the audience is one of the rarest moments of happiness that you can feel.
A very refreshing debate followed among the people in the audience for more than an hour. Then we had to stop to prepare the next meeting, later in the night.
This meeting in the night, also in a packed hall, was dedicated to Kostandina Kuneva. The leaders of her union, the All Attica Union of Cleaners and House Personnel- PECOP, were the invited speakers, Katerina Matsa (EEK), doctor and now close friend of Kostandina and me. More than 1.500 euros were collected for Kostandina, offered by poor artists and youth. It was the biggest collection in an occupation in the last decade.
February 4, 2009
Savas Michael
